Heat-control apparatus



Aprfifi 11, 1930. J. J. FAGAN HEAT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, '1929 F138. Fig.3. 19. 10.

INVENTOR Fig. 4.

ATTORNEY and the objects of the improvement are{ UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE .rozm J. imam, or BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY HEAT-CONTROL APPARATUS Application filed January 29, 1929. Serial No. 385,946.

The invention relates to im rovements in heat generators that require raft at intervals to kindle or stimulate the fire, or that are regulated otherwise for the same reafsiont;

rs to reduce heat losses in the present and uture heat generators; second, to provide independent, automatic controls for the heat in the generators and for the heat in the heated compartments through the medium of one operable door; third, to reduce manufacturing and operating costs; and, fourth, to facihtate emergency manual control.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is an elevation of the heat generator, a chimney a smoke pipe, a draft pipe, a pipe manifold and a diaphragm; Figure 2 1s a plan view of the heat generator, chimney, pipes, pipe manifold and a diaphragm; Figure 3 is a partial plan view of the pipes and pipe manifold; F igure 4 is a side elevation of the ipe manifold, a door and a double solenoi partly in section; Figure 5 is an end elevation of the same solenoid, door and manifold part1 in section; Figure 6 shows a device for hol ing the door in a fixed position; Figure 7 is a plan view of the door in one opened position to admit fresh air to the ashpit; Figures 8, 9 and 10 are dia rams of wiring, switches and fuses; and illustrates a solenoid, a lever and an alarm clock partly in-section.

Here tofore many homes, industrial buildings, etc. were heated with steam, hot water and hot air heat generators that used adamper and a draft door. Bothof these doors opened to the compartment in which the heat generator was located and permitted valuable hot air or heat units to escape to the atmosphere whether the fire was on full or banked.

With the improvement proposed in this invention fresh air will be drawn from without the building to the ashpit when it is desired to kindle the fire and directed up the chimney without passing through the heat generator when it is not desired to kindle the fire. For twenty-four hours a day the ashpit door and the fire door are kept closed and there are igure 11 no other 0 enings whatever to the furnace or to the smoke pipe from the room in which the heat enerator is located.

Filing the chimney with fresh cold air when it isnot desired to kindle the fire eliminates all the pull or suction on the fire and saves whatever fuel that is left until it is needed; therefore, heat losses are reduced to a minimum. Taking fresh air from without the building for draft purposes increases the draft pressure considerably due to the greater difference of temperature between the intake and the chimney. The increased draft causes weak fires to burn up rapidly when otherwise they would go out and enables the burning of smaller and cheaper fuels resulting in a direct saving.

art of the improvement is to dispense with the usual damper and to control the heat with a single door installed in an air or draft pipe that will direct the flow of combustion air either into the ashpit or into the chimney. This door will be controlled electrically, mechanically and automatically. Another feature is to have the smoke pipe full open to the chimney at all times and thereby prevent the dangerous and obnoxious gases from being blocked by defective dampers.

Nearly all the heat generators have a safety device to prevent overheatin of the generator. In the steam generator t ere is a diaphragm that operates against a weighted lever when acted on by the steam pressure and in the hot water and the hot air generators there is a thermal element that is acted on by the hot water or the hot air and which, in turn, acts against weighted levers. These weighted levers are hooked to a draft or a damper door and open'the proper door when over eating is threatened. Inasmuch as I will not use such doors to control the heat generator I propose to use such existing or future levers to operate an electric switch which, in turn, will operate the single door in air pipe as will be made clear later.

Referring to the various figures of the drawing, numeral 1 illustrates a heat generator with a smoke pipe 2 leading into a chimney 3. An air pipe 4 is fitted from without the building at 5 to beneath the fire grate at 6. A ipe manifold is located at 7 and a draft oor 8 is located within the manifold on the air pi e side only. The to plate 10 of the mani old 7, Figures 2 an 3, is cut away to show the door 8 against the partition 9 in Fi ure 2 andagainst-the side of the manifol box 7 in Figure 3, at 11.

When the door 8 is closed against the partition 9 as shown in Figure 2 the air is forced through the air pipe 4 into the ashpit 12, up through the fire, through the smo e pipe 2 and up the chimney 3 as indicated by the arrows 13, Figures 1 and 2. This causes the fire to burn. When the door 8 is closed against the side of the manifold box at 11, Figure 3, the air is forced through pipe 4 to the manifold box 7 and then back through the smoke pipe 2 to the chimney 3 as indicated by the arrows 14, Figure 3. This banks the fire very effectively until needed again.

It should be obvious that when the door 8 is in the latter position the draft is cut off from the ash it 12, the draft is being shortcircuited up tiie chimney 3 and the smoke pipe 2 still has a full 0 ening to the furnace in order to allow the o noxious gases to pass up the chimney as indicated by the arrows 15, Figure 3. It should also be obvious that there are no openings to the cellar or room in which the heat generator is located and, therefore, many heat units are kept within the building that would otherwise pass out through the ashpit as a draft or through the damper door when the furnace is checked.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a removable cov er plate 16 which may have a window 17 and be secured with screws 18.

Figure 4 illustrates an elevation of the manifold box 7 with the plate 16 removed. Door 8 can be seen within and against partition 9 just as shown in Figure 2. The dotted line 19 indicates an opening through the partion 9 and through which the draft passes when the door ,8 is closed against the side of the box 7 at 11 as shown in Figure 3. The door 8 swings on a split hinge pin 20 which is supported in the top and bottom plates 10 and 21 of the manifold box 7. The bottom part of the hinge pin 20 is formed into a crank at 22 and fits into the slot 23 of the solenoid core 24. The solenoid core 24 is supported in two solenoids 25 and 26 and is actuated by an electric current passing through the solenoid windings. eating action of the door 8 through an angle of about 90 degrees.

Figure 5 is a cross section through Figure 4 at the line 34. It shows the door 8 against the partition 9, the opening 84 to the air pipe 4 and the opening 27 to the smoke pipe 2. Flanges 28 project from the box 7. Plate 29 supports the solenoids 25 and 26, a circuit breaker 31 and a casing 30 which protects and incloses the solenoids and circuit breaker as A reciprothe solenoid core 24 actuates indicated by the dotted lines 30. Plate 29 is fastened to the plate 21 of the box 7.

At the end of each cycle of operation of the door 8 it is necessary to stop the current flowin This is done by using a sealed glass tu e 31 which has a globule of mercury 32 within that bridges and unbridges contacts 35, 36, 37 and 38. Unbridging these contacts in pairs, alternately, stops current flowing in the solenoids 25 and 26. The glass tube 31 is supported by a pendulum bracket 39 at bracket 40 and is tilted back and forth by the push rod 41 which has two adjustable stops 42 and 43. These adjustable stops bump against a swivel stake 44 which is pivotally secured in support bracket 39. Push rod 41 is secured in one end of the solenoid core 24 and moves with it. Handle 45 is mounted on the other end of the solenoid core 24 and is used for manual operation of the door 8.

On one side of the casing 30 three sockets 82 are mounted to take respectively a fuse 66, a switch 65 and a portable electric double wire not shown and suitable for the usual high voltage house or lndustrial current. A portable cord from a wall socket is used for operation. Disc 46 is mounted on top of hinge pin 20 and has a pin 47 which revolves about 45 degrees each side of the center line 48, Figure 6, when the door 8 makes a cycle. A spring is stretched between the stake 49 and the pin 47 and holds the door 8 full swung either to the partition 9 or to the side of the box 11. The spring 50 also prevents the rebounding of the solenoid core 24 at the end of each stroke. On and Off are marked on the periphery of the disc 46 to indicate the position of the door 8.

Figure 7 illustrates a cross section through the manifold box 7, the partition 9 and the door 8 at line 51, Figure 5.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a diaphragm 52, a lever 53 and a weight- 54 which are acted upon when the steam pressure rises in the heat generator and, in turn, are generally used to open or close a draft or a damper door through the medium of chains. According to my invention, the lever 53 will not be used to open or close such doors. Instead, it will be used to carry the sealed glass tube 55 which has a globule of mercury within that bridges pairs of contacts at each end to make or break the electric circuit which controls the solenoids 25 and 26 when the lever 53 tilts with the rise and fall of the steam pressure. This will control the heat of the generator regardless of the heat of the heated rooms by operating door 8 independently of the room thermostat control; thus, we have dual control. Ashpit door 77 and fire door 59 are closed all the time.

Figure 2 shows a solenoid 61 mounted beside the diaphragm 52 and used to start automatic control in the morning after the automatic control had been shut oif during the night.

The solenoid 61 is operated by the push button from the bed room or any other remote point. Figure 11 illustrates the solenoid 61 set for the night; this is done by lifting lever 53 with one hand and pushing out core 62 at 63 with the other hand. This disconnects the thermostat. When in this position, the weighted lever 53 is in the same position as it should be when excessive steam pressure tilts it. When the push button in the bed room is o erated the solenoid 61 is energized, which, in turn, ulls the core 62 from under the lever 53 an the weight 54 lowers the lever 53 to normal operating position; thus, electric contact is restored with the thermostat through the glass tube 55 and auto matic operation is reestablished. If at times it is desired to have automatic regulation started in the morning, mechanically, at a pre-determined time, a pull chain or string 64 from alarm clock 83 may be attached to the end of solenoid core 62 at 63. The alarm clock 83 may be mounted in any convenient place. A thermostat will be used to rovide automatic control for the door 8. odern thermostats are capable of adjustments covering wide, high and low limits and the work automaticall within these limits. here this can be one satisfactorily it will not be necessary to detach the thermostat from this heat control apparatus at night.

The operation of the dual heat control apparatus may be understood from the following: Figure 8 is a Wiring diagram in which is the source of power, 65 is a switch, 66 a fuse and 67 is a tiltable sealed glass tube which is now standard in some thermostats and, in this case, used to illustrate the function of a thermostat in which there are two contacts in each end and a globule of mercury which bridges each pair of contacts, alternately, when the temperatures rise and fall. Tubes 31 and 55 are similar to the tube 67, the first being attached to the solenoid core 24 and the latter to lever 53. With the lever 53 in normal working position the current flows from 60 throu h switch 65, fuse 66, wire 68, contacts 56 an 57, mercury 70, wire 71, thermostat contacts 72 and 73, mercury 74, wire 75, solenoid coil 25, wire 76, contacts 35 and '36 and mercury 32. This passing of current energies coil 25 which, in turn, draws the core 24 and pushes the glass tube 31 into the position shown in Figure 4. This movement of core 24 also acts on the crank 22 and moves door 8 into the position shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. Wire 81 completes the circuit. The effect of this cycle is to cause the air to flow from without the building through pipe 4, ashpit 12, firebox 68, smoke pipe 2 and chimney 3 as indicated by the arrows 13, Figures 1 and 2, and to set the fire burning at maximum rate.

Following the cycle just com leted the thermostat tube 67 will be tilted y the rise of temperature in the heated rooms. The tube 31 was tilted by the stop 43 striking stop 44 at the end of the travel of core 24 and thereby stop the flow of current. The tube 55 did not change its position. The new alignment of tubes and the new cycle about to begin are illustrated in Figure 9. Current flows from 60'through switch 65, fuse 66, wire 68, contacts 56 and 57, mercury 70, wire 71, thermostat contacts 78 and7 9, mercury 74 which has rolled to the other end of tube 67, wire 80, solenoid coil 26, wire 33, contacts 37 and 38 and mercury 32 which has rolled to the other end of the tube 31. This flowing of current energizes solenoid 26 which, in turn, draws core 24 to the opposite position of that shown in Fi ure 4 and moves the door 8 to the position s own in Figure 3.

The cycle just completed prevents air from passing beyond the manifold pipe box 7 through air pipe 4 and compels the air to be by-passed to the smoke pipe 2 as indicated by the arrows 14, Fig. 3. This completely shuts off all the air from the furnace but it still leaves the smoke pipe 2 wide open to the furnace to allow obnoxious gases to freely pass up the chimney 3 as indicated by the arrows 15, Figure 3.

The effect on the fireproduced by the last cycle is to almost completely stop combustion in the furnace and to conserve any fuel that is left until it is again desired to stimulate combustion for another rise of temperature in the heated rooms.

The wiring diagram of Figure 10 illustrates how dual control is effected. If the heat of the furnace or the steam pressure gets too high before the thermostat tube 67 is tilted by the heat of the rooms as shown in Figure 9, the lever 53 will be tilted by the diaphragm 52. The tube 55 is also tilted as in Figure 10 and current flows from 60 through switch 65, fuse 66, wire 68, contacts 58 and 69, mercury 70 which has now rolled to the other end of tube 55, wire 80, solenoid 26, wire 33, contacts 37 and 38 and mercury 32 which is now'set to be acted upon for the swinging of the door 8 into the position shown in Figure 3 which will occur as soon as the current flows.

It should be obvious that when the lever 53 was tilted into the position shown in Figure 10 by the high steam pressure, electrical connection to the thermostat was broken through the thermostat tube 67 and the wire 71 and that this connection cannot be reestablished until lever 53 is untilted, by a drop of steam pressure, to the position shown in Figures 8 and 9. It should also be obvious that during each cycle of operation the electric current is oxidization, that no minute or complicated adjustments are required and that all fire hazards are removed.

' It isthought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent. It is also understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a manifold pipe box connecting the combustion air pipe and the smoke pipe, a door within the manifold pipe box, electric means for moving the door to alternate open and closed positions within the said combustion air pipe, an electric circuit for such means and means for controlling the circuit automatically from a distant point.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a manifold pipe box connecting the combustion air pipe and the smoke pipe, a door within the manifold pipe box, a central hollow partition within the manifold pipe box for stopping the door in an open position that will allow the maximum of combustion air to reach the furnace, a glazed observation window at one end of the manifold pipe box, electric and manual means for moving the door to alternate open and closed positions, an electric circuit for such electric means and means for controlling the circuit from a distant point.

3. The combination in an apparatus of the class described, of a chimney, a smoke pipe from the heat generator to the chimney, a combustion air pipe from the ashpit of the heat generator to and beyond the building wall where the heat generator is housed, said pipes being in close proximity to each other at one point, a flanged manifold pipe box inserted within the pipe lines at this point and engaging the ends of said pipes at the point of intersection, a door within the manifold pipe box adapted to control the flow of combustion air through the heat generator, the said pipes and the manifold pipe box, electric means for operating the said door, a circuit for such means, automatic means for controlling the circuit from a distant point and manual means for controlling the said door at the manifold pipe box.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a heat generator and a smoke pipe, of a combustion air pipe from beneath the furnace to without the building, a manifold pipe box inter used at one point between the said pipes, a oor operable within the said manifold pipe box, a hinge pin slotted to receive the said door and crankshaped at one end to engage a grooved solenoid core, a

the manifol pipe box and in which the said core slides, a circuit breaker associated with the manifold pipe box and operable by the solenoid core, a thermostat for automatic control of the door, an electric circuit including one solenoid, the thermostat and one pair of circuit breaker contacts, a second circuit including the other solenoid, the thermostat and the second pair of circuit breaker contacts; said circuit breaker comprising a sealed glass tube with internal contacts at each end that may be bridged with mercury, alternately, in airs and located within the circuits, a pendulum bracket for the support of the circuit breaker, an actuating rod connecting the solenoid core and pendulum bracket, sto s on the actuating rod to limit the travel 0 the pendulum bracket, bearings for supporting the hinge pin within the manifold pipe box and means associated with the mamfold pipe box and the plain end of the hinge pin for holding the door to the closed or the open position and for indicating the position of the door.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a combustion air pipe communicating be tween the street atmosphere and a heat generator, a smoke pipe communicating between the said heat generator and a chimney, a manifold pipe box interposed between and communicating through suitable passages with the said pipes, a door contained within the said manifold pipe box and adapted to direct the combustion air into the generator or by-passing it to the chimney for the purpose of controlling the heat of the generator and electric and mechanical means for controlling the said door.

JOHN J. FAGAN.

air of solenoids associated with a 

